The Principal Doctrines (Kyriai doxai, sometimes Kyriai doxiai) are forty authoritative conclusions set up as official doctrines by the founders of Epicureanism: Epicurus of Samos, Metrodorus of Lampsacus, Hermarchus of Mitilene and Polyaenus of Lampsacus. The first four doctrines make up the Tetrapharmakos (Four Cures), which have sometimes been compared to Buddhism's Four Noble Truths.[citation needed] They are often cited as "PDs" in English.
Some of the Principal Doctrines are organized into groups and are meant to be studied together. PD's 10-13 discuss the Epicurean philosophy of science. PD's 18-21 explain the natural limits of desires and in time, and how the flesh is unable to learn these limits but the mind can. PD's 22-25 deal with the importance of the canon, or the Epicurean standard of truth. PD's 31-38 explain the Epicurean doctrines on justice based on mutual advantage and contractarianism.[1] PD's 39-40 call for an intimate society of friends.
Since most of Epicurus' 37 books "On Nature" are lost to us,[2] the Principal Doctrines are, together with Epicurus' Letters to Herodotus, Menoeceus, and Pythocles, the most authoritative writings in Epicureanism. The Principal Doctrines exemplify the Epicurean philosophers' practice of publishing summaries and outlines of their teachings for easy memorization. However, they are so concise and short that it's difficult to understand them in depth without the context of additional commentaries and writings by ancient sources or by modern Epicurean practitioners, whenever possible.
In his work "Alexander the Oracle Monger",[3] comedian Lucian of Samosata praised the PDs saying: "What blessings this book creates for its readers and what peace, tranquillity, and freedom it engenders in them, liberating them as it does from terrors and apparitions and portents, from vain hopes and extravagant cravings, developing in them intelligence and truth, and truly purifying their understanding, not with torches and squills and that sort of foolery, but with straight thinking, truthfulness and frankness."
The PrincipalDoctrines (Kyriai doxai, sometimes Kyriai doxiai) are forty authoritative conclusions set up as official doctrines by the founders of Epicureanism:...
religious doctrines include: Christian theology: Doctrines such as the Trinity, the virgin birth and atonement The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine Transubstantiation...
probably follows Epicurus' work. The PrincipalDoctrines are forty authoritative conclusions set up as official doctrines by Epicurus, Metrodorus of Lampsacus...
Menoeceus, Pythocles, and Herodotus—and two collections of quotes—the PrincipalDoctrines and the Vatican Sayings—have survived intact, along with a few fragments...
been borrowed from the early Epicureans—as it is used by Epicurus' PrincipalDoctrines 37–38. The term communion, derived from Latin communio ('sharing...
2021 at the Wayback Machine. "PrincipalDoctrines 5 and 33" Archived 29 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, PrincipalDoctrines by Epicurus, Translated by...
preserver" and λόγος logos "study" or "word") is the study of religious doctrines of salvation. Salvation theory occupies a place of special significance...
Epicurus on Freedom. Cambridge University Press. p. 134. Epicurus PrincipalDoctrines tranls. by Robert Drew Hicks (1925) Companion Encyclopaedia of Hindu...
and advantage, as evidenced by these lines, among others, from his PrincipalDoctrines (see also Epicurean ethics): 31. Natural justice is a pledge of reciprocal...
the charioteer of the virtues. It is mentioned in the fifth of the PrincipalDoctrines of Epicurus, and in his Letter to Menoeceus, where he says: "Prudence...
far as is advantageous, excludes them from his life. — Epicurus, PrincipalDoctrines, Quotation #39 However, according to science historian Charles Coulston...
and credit its doctrines to both philosophers, later sources credit only Democritus, making definitive identification of specific doctrines difficult. We...
more considerable in the time of these writers... Edward Hare The principaldoctrines of Christianity defended 1837 p. 318: "The Nazarenes of ecclesiastical...
desires, of pleasure, and of his own body. In the eighth of his PrincipalDoctrines, Epicurus says that we sometimes choose pains if greater pleasures...
endoxa is used in Aristotle's Organon, Topics and Rhetoric. The PrincipalDoctrines (Kyriai Doxai) are the main beliefs of the Epicurean school of Hellenistic...
his students to keep an outline of the doctrines on wealth and economics, so that there are additional doctrines that advanced students may focus on. Schools...
"Beauty". Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Routledge. The Forty PrincipalDoctrines, Number III. Letter to Menoeceus Archived 2008-10-13 at the Wayback...
texts of its ethics are the 40 PrincipalDoctrines (Kyriai Doxai) and Epicurus' Letter to Menoeceus. As per PrincipalDoctrine 5, the ethical code of the...
predecessor was A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines (four volumes, 1877–1887) edited by Wace and William Smith. That in turn...
one led by Niruben Amin and the other led by Kanubhai Patel. The principaldoctrine of the Akram Vignan movement is gnan bhakti which means devotional...
of divine blessing that they must earn by moral behavior. The 40 PrincipalDoctrines of the Epicureans taught that "in order to obtain protection from...
were also expelled on the grounds of violating the doctrine on unity, INC's 22nd principaldoctrine. Cristina Arámbulo Villanueva was born at 2:45 PM of...
Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, 1850), p. 10; Edward Hare, The principaldoctrines of Christianity defended against the errors of Socinianism (New York:...
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